Body core temperature (hereinafter also referred to simply as “body temperature”) is an important parameter that influences physical systems of the body, and can determine the way in which the body will respond under different conditions.
There is a high correlation between body temperature and metabolic rate. The metabolism is an energy-production process, and its rate is affected, among other factors, by the temperature of the environment. To keep a normal body temperature in a cold environment, the metabolic rate will increase, in order to produce energy that releases heat and warms up the body.
A higher metabolic rate automatically inflicts a faster activity of different physical systems of the body, and increases body temperature. The correlation between body temperature and metabolic rate works in both directions, so that if the body temperature changes, it also causes the metabolic rate to change accordingly.
In some cases, an increase of body temperature can be undesirable, since it causes a higher metabolic rate, which can bring to a progression of destructive processes in the body as well. According to medical researches, usually, the greater damage to the body is formed over the first few minutes after an injury. It is especially crucial when experiencing a stroke or a cardiologic episode, since they are very often followed by long-term physical complications.
After cardiac arrest with no blood flow for more than five minutes, the generation of free radicals, together with other mediators, during reperfusion creates chemical cascades that result in cerebral injury. Until recently, there was no therapy with documented efficacy in preventing brain damage after cardiac arrest.
Strokes happen when blood flow to the brain stops. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. There are two kinds of stroke. The more common kind, called ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. The other kind, called hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain. “Mini-strokes” or transient ischemic attacks occur when the blood supply to the brain is briefly interrupted. In traumatic head injury not only can result in immediate seizures, it often causes chronic seizures which are frequently resistant both to medication and surgical intervention.
Another example is epilepsy, which is a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures. The seizures happen when clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain send out the wrong signals. People may have strange sensations and emotions or behave strangely. They may have violent muscle spasms or lose consciousness. Post-traumatic epilepsy is prevalent, often difficult to manage, and currently cannot be prevented.
In hospitals, doctors use a cooling-cell to decrease the body temperature of patients who suffer from injuries that can cause long-term damages, and induce a mild therapeutic hypothermia. Although the cooling-cells in hospital can minimize the extent of injuries, it is crucial to cool the body as soon as possible, and sometimes it takes too long to get to a hospital, and in any event, the patient is not treated immediately.
Another disadvantage of cooling-cells is the fact that they do not prevent the involuntary reaction of the human body to a decrease in body temperature, which is a tremor of the muscles that obtains the opposite of the desired effect, e.g., a raise in body temperature.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device suitable to cause an immediate cooling of the body, which can be operated outdoors, and can be taken to where the patient is located.
It is another object of the invention to provide a portable device that can be operated and stored essentially everywhere, so as to be available immediately when needed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for cooling the human body, which is simple to operate by a non-skilled operator, and which can be performed whenever needed, without prior extensive preparations.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device and method that overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, such as the inability to prevent involuntary tremor of the muscles.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.